Electrical interconnecting system and parts



March 10, 1970 R. G. LUNDERGAN 3,500,300

ELECTRICAL INTERCONNEGTING SYSTEM AND PARTS Filed Jan. 29, 1968 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 March 10, 1970 R. 5. LUNDERGAN 3,500,300

ELECTRICAL INTERCONNECTING SYSTEM AND PARTS 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Jan. 29, 1968 United States Patent 3,500,300 ELECTRICAL INTERCONNECTING SYSTEM AND PARTS Robert Graham Lundergan, Camp Hill, Pa., assignor to AMP Incorporated, Harrisburg, Pa.

Continuation-impart of application Ser. No. 671,061,

Sept. 27, 1967. This application Jan. 29, 1968, Ser.

Int. Cl. H01r 9/16, 15/04; Hk 1/12 US. Cl. 339-258 4 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE An interconnection system is provided wherein two successive components of the system are capable of acting in a dual manner as both plug and receptacle, A U- shaped receptacle member is provided and utilizes a spring action type of contact force for engaging one of the dual type components.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION This application is a continuation-in-part of US. application Ser. No. 671,061, filed Sept. 27, 1967, and having a common assignee with the instant application.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING FIGURE 1 is an exploded perspective view and contains a fragmentary showing of a modular system employing the teachings of the present invention;

FIGURE 2 is a side elevational view partly in section showing the various components of FIGURE 1 in their assembled condition;

FIGURE 3 is a top plan view as seen looking along the line 33 of FIGURE 2;

FIGURE 4 is a cross-sectional view taken along the line 4-4 of FIGURE 2 and showing various internal features of the connector;

FIGURE 5 is a side elevational view showing the external configuration of the connector; and

FIGURE 6 is a bottom plan view as seen looking along the line 66 of FIGURE 5.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT The attainments of the present invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art upon a reading of the following detailed description when taken in conjunction with the drawings in which there is shown and described an illustrative embodiment of the invention; it is to be understood, however, that this embodiment is not intended to be exhaustive nor limiting of the invention but is given for purpose of illustration in order that others skilled in the art may fully understand the invention and the principles thereof and the manner of applying it in practical use so that they may modify it in various forms, each as may be best suited to the conditions of a particular use.

Patented Mar. 10, 1970 In FIGURE 1 there is shown a modular system which may be a portion of a television or radio receiver or the like. A chassis 20 is shown having provision for mounting insulating blocks 22. The blocks 22 have a series of apertures disposed therealong for receiving electrical connectors 24. The connectors receive wire conductors 26 (see FIGURE 2) and are plugable within receptacles 28. The receptacles 28 may be mounted, for example, on a printed circuit board 30 having electrical components 32 on its top surface and printed circuit strips 34 along its lower surface. The receptacle 28 is a dual purpose connector and also serves as a male plug member insertable Within a receptacle 36. Thus, both the connectors 24 and 28 serve a dual purpose, namely they receive electrical members in the manner of a receptacle and they are plugable in the manner of a male member into a separate receptacle.

The connectors 24 and 28 are fully described in the copending patent application identified above. For the purposes of the instant application only a general description of connectors 24 and 28 is required. The connectors 24 receive wire conductors 26 and retain the conductors by means of lances 38 disposed in the connector side portions. The connector 24 is solder dipped after insertion of the wire conductors to complete the mechanical and electrical connection therebetween. Connectors 24 are plugable into the receptacles 28, which receptacles are mounted within apertures 40 in the printed circuit board 30. A pair of time means 42 extend through aperture 40 and engage the circuitry strips 34 disposed on the lower surface of the printed circuit board. Spring fingers 44 are provided on the receptacle for engaging the connectors 24 to thus establish electrical connection between the conductors 26 and the circuitry strips 34. The system thus far described represents a complete modular system. However, it is often desirable to connect the receptacles 28 with external circuitry and this function is provided by the instant invention in the form of a tapping receptacle 36. Receptacle 36 will now be described in detail.

The receptacle 36 comprises a base portion 46 from which extends a ferrule or the like 48 for receiving a wire conductor 50. Mechanical deformation of the ferrule 48 will cause electrical and mechanical connection between the receptacle 36 and the conductor 50. A pair of sidewalls 52 extend from the base portion 46 and at generally right angles thereto. The sidewalls have a first por tion 54, a transition portion 56, and a second portion 58. Maximum space exists between the portions 54 of the sidewalls and minimum space exists between the portions 58 of the sidewalls. The narrow space between the portions 58 is normally slightly less than the external dimension of connector 28. A pair of flanges 60 are disposed at the free ends of sidewalls 52 and cooperate with the sidewalls and the base portion to define a relatively enclosed area within which the connector 28 may be received.

The lower portions of sidewalls 52 are flared outwardly as indicated at 62 to facilitate entry of the connectors 28 within the receptacles 36. Entry of conectors 28 within the receptacles 36 will cause the sidewalls 52 to separate slighlty and thus firmly grasp the connector between the portions 58 of the sidewalls and the flanges 60. The wide portions 54 of the sidewalls produce a spring-like eifect to thereby maintain the portions 58 of the sidewalls in tight engagement with the connector 28.

The flanges 60 and base portion 46 of receptacle 36 are not parallel but rather are disposed at a slight angle to each other as best seen in FIGURES 2 and 5. This angle generally conforms to the angle of the connectors 28 which are of generally trapezoidal configuration. The .overall internal area of receptacle 36 is larger than the peripheral dimension of connector 28 to thus provide the springing tendencies of the sidewalls 52.

In order to insure that the receptacles 36 are fully seated on connectors 28 there is provided detent means 64 located in the sidewalls 52 ,of the receptacle. These detents 64 extend inwardly and are designed to cooperate with shoulders 66 on the connectors 28. The cooperation between the detents 64 and shoulders 66 is best seen in FIGURE 4 of the drawings and serves as a type of latching effect between receptacle 36 and connector 28.

Changes in construction will occur to those skilled in the art and various apparently different modifications and embodiments may be made without departing from the scope of the invention. The matter set forth in the foregoing description and accompanying drawings is offered by Way of illustration only.

What is claimed is:

1. As an article of manufacture, a female connector adapted to engage a plug member, said connector comprising a base portion, a pair of spaced sidewalls extending from said base portion and generally at right angles thereto, each of said spaced sidewalls comprising a first portion, a transition portion and a second portion, and flange means extending from said second portion of said sidewalls and remote from said base portion, said flange means, sidewalls, transition portions, and base portion cooperating to define a generally enclosed area for receiving a plug member, said transition portion being disposed between said first and second portion of said sidewalls, said sidewalls being relatively widely spaced between said first portions and relatively narrowly spaced between said second portions, whereby the widely spaced first portions of said sidewalls permits a spring-like force to be exerted by the narrowly spaced second portions of said sidewalls, and said flange means and said base portion are disposed at a slight angle relative to each other whereby said side walls are of a generally trapezoidal shape.

2. An article of manufacture as set forth in claim 1 further comprising ferrule means extending from said base portion for securing said connector to an electrical conductor.

3. An article of manufacture as set forth in claim 1 further comprising detent means disposed in said sidewalls for cooperation with a mating plug member.

4. An article of manufacture as set forth in claim 1 further comprising outwardly flared portions in said sidewalls for facilitating entry of a plug member into said connector.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,304,808 12/ 1942 Draving.

2,659,063 11/1953 Webb et a1.

2,745,080 5/ 1956 Oiferman.

2,785,387 3/ 1957 Batcheller.

2,987,697 6/1961 Davis.

3,122,408 2/ 1964 Laszczewski.

RICHARD E. MOORE, Primary Examiner PATRICK A. CLIFFORD, Assistant Examiner US. Cl. X.R. 339-l7 

